I Have Cried Day and Night Before You

1A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite. O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.

2Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.

3For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell.

4I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,

5free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.

6They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.

7Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.

8Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:

9my eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.

10Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?

11Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?

12Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?

13But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.

14Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?

15I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.

16Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.

17They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.

18Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.